Odisha labourer threatens suicide if not rescued from Malaysia

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Chhatrapur, Jan 8:

An Odisha labourer from Bhikapada village in Khallikote of Odisha’s Ganjam district has threatened to commit suicide if he was not rescued from inhuman treatment in the hands of his employer in Malaysia.

Sameer Biswal on Wednesday narrated his ordeal over phone to a man back in Odisha. In a throbbing voice, he explained that he is admitted to hospital with low back injury due to physical torture. No company official is taking care of the medical requirements and co-workers have been looking after me. The company employees meted out physical and mental torture to them. Besides, we are asked to clean toilets, he sobbed.

‘‘We are fed with tamarind seeds and if we refuse to eat them we are beaten up. We survive on water for three-four days as they are not providing us food. I am in a treacherous condition. Please rescue me otherwise I would commit suicide,’’ Sameer said.

As many as 13 labourers from Khallikote and Beguniapada areas have been subjected to torture and kept in confinement in Malaysia. The grim situation coming to the fore has become a cause of serious concern for the district administration and family members alike.

The distressed family members of these labourers are anxiously waiting for government intervention for safe return of their bread earners.

Sameer’s mother Ranju Biswal among the flustered lot too is hoping her son’s repatriation. Hoping for a better living, Sameer had prepared his travel documents through an agent to work in Malaysia. In April last year, he left India for the foreign country to realize his dreams of increasing his income opportunities.

Sameer, an intermediate pass, was giving private tuitions in his village to meet his ends.

However, his dreams came crashing in the foreign land when he had encounters with the tormentors.

While he was in Malaysia, his father—Govardhan—passed away. He could not even come to perform last rites of his father.

It may be recalled here that earlier in May last year, six labourers from Hatabaradiha village of Chilika Block in Khordha district had returned to their village from Malaysia after being mentally and physically tortured there for over six months.

After these youths had reached Malaysia, they were engaged in a private company where the owner and the manager forced them to work for 72-84 hours at a stretch while providing them with low quality food and accommodation.

Not only this, the company officials also did not pay their wages and even took away their passports to ensure they don’t run away.

When their visa expired, these youths tried to contact the agents in Odisha and Visakhapatnam but to no avail. A Malaysian agent demanded Rs 1 lakh from them to send them back to their homeland. Left with no option, the family members had to meet the agent’s demands.